Word Origin & History

collect 1573 (trans.), from O.Fr. collecter (1371), from L. collectus, pp. of colligere "gather together," from com- "together" + legere "to gather." The intrans. sense is attested from 1794. As an adj. meaning "paid by the recipient" it is attested from 1893, originally with ref. to telegrams.

Example Sentences for collect

It is a fortunate grocer who is able to collect 80 per cent.

He closed them slowly for a moment, as if to collect his routed thoughts.

They give you a lot of trouble to collect, and nobody else will trouble to listen.

That part of one's environment upon which no government has been able to collect taxes.

I beg you, sir, to collect your spirits, and to listen to me calmly.

She resolved to run no risk of delay by having the message sent 'to collect.'

The second scene being the masquerade, I had time to collect myself.

You will find it rather a hard material to collect if you set out in earnest.

Nareda will pay it—and Nareda will collect the ransom from the American capitalists.

Hugo groaned and stalked over to collect the two dolls and the tea-things.